Unwarranted authority

If a firefighter tells you to evacuate a burning building, you should heed his call without questioning his authority. Not because he said so, but because not doing so can put you in harm.

If a policeman orders you out of your home without an explicit reason, however, it’s not warranted at all. It doesn’t help you to adhere to his instruction.

Authority should be respected when it's justified. Because doing what you’re told when there’s a good reason for doing so is what enables a civil and safe society.

But it helps to acknowledge the fine line between justified authority and the type that isn’t warranted. Because respectful dissent is just as crucial a component for maintaining the everyday justice that we all deserve.